


Dead Hearts

by ConsultingCaffrey



Category: White Collar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-20
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-10-21 08:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10681416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConsultingCaffrey/pseuds/ConsultingCaffrey
Summary: The world is in shambles and Neal finds himself making an unimaginable choice. Death of minor characters. Loads of feels in a short amount of writing.





	Dead Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> This popped in my head and wouldn't leave me alone.  
> I tried to think of some younger cons that Neal helped, but could only think of Scott from Scott Free and Nate and Penny from Shoot the Moon.  
> Idk why I keep coming back to the apocalypse themes, I just love their vibe~

"Neal, don't," Mozzie hissed, trying to pull him back, but Neal pushed his hands off, shaking his head.

The jungle around them was silent, no birds or animals, but he already knew why so he wasn't alarmed. He didn't take his eyes off the old factory in front of them, its walls overgrown by vines, and its windows spotted with mold. No one had been there for a long time. No one human, that is.

He knew before he even walked in.

Mozzie didn't join him, and Neal didn't blame him. He'd been out here far longer than Neal had, surviving on his own, and he knew the dangers better. But Neal had something his friend didn't. Bravery.

Not to say Mozzie wasn't brave in his own way. He was. Just not brave enough to walk into the heart of this terrible place.

Neal came to the front doors, which had been latched tightly for so many years, then spared a glance back at Mozzie.

The man's eyes pleaded with him not to do this, but someone had to. He knew Mozzie understood that as well, which was why he didn't try to stop him again.

The latch came off easy and he dropped it in the dirt, then steeled himself before pushing open the doors.

Darkness greeted him. Darkness and the smell of death, among other things.

They were all huddled in a corner, some dead, some still alive, but no longer themselves.

Neal approached slowly, gun in hand. He'd never seen any up close before, but he didn't think they were dangerous. Even so, the weapon was a comfort to have just in case. He'd gotten used to carrying it.

One looked up at his slow approach, his eyes glassy and unfocused. His face was smeared with dirt and grime, and he was bone thin. They tended to survive longer than most things without food. But they all died eventually.

These ones were different, though.

'These are kids that I once knew.'

Alex... Balthazar... Jo... He could pick them out right away. Jo was already dead, but Alex and Balth weren't. They had stuck close to each other all this time, and there was something sad and sweet about that. The others, Jon, Scott, Penny, Nate, they weren't in good shape either.

Neal felt tears in his eyes. Balth was still looking at him, and now Alex lifted her head, her once vibrant dark hair falling in her eyes. They didn't seem dangerous, so he walked closer, finally kneeling in front of his old friend to gently tuck her hair back.

"Hey..." he said shakily. "I'm here."

Alex just continued to stare, so Neal gently pulled her into a hug, his tears spilling over. He flinched a bit when Balth leaned against him, but he wasn't trying to hurt him, so Neal stayed put, holding them both and trying not to look at Jo nearby.

He'd come here for a purpose, though. He wasn't going to just leave them here to suffer. But there was no help for them either, so he eventually stood, stepping back and checking his gun. Three bullets. And five more in his pocket. That was enough.

He hated how the gun felt in his hand now as he aimed it at Alex. Her first. She deserved some peace after all these years.

The shot was deafening, echoing around the large area, and Balthazar flinched with it, but didn't seem to realize what had just happened. He looked down at Alex's still body and Neal's tears were streaming freely as he aimed at him next.

Another shot. Then one more for Jon before he had to load the gun again. He felt numb, his fingers seeming to move on their own as he placed the bullets in the chamber one by one. Then he turned his gaze to the other three.

Nate was close to Penny like Balthazar had been with Alex. He still had an arm around her as he stared at the wall in front of him. Penny looked dead but Neal could see her move occasionally.

He couldn't help but be proud of them. They'd come a long way since he and Peter had caught them. It was just heartbreaking that this was where their journey ended.

Those two went down. Then Scott.

Scott... He'd come a long way as well. Smartass he was, but in the end, he'd tried to be a better man.

He had one more bullet left. Hopefully he and Mozzie could find some more. That was just a passing thought.

'These were kids that I once knew...'

He stood there numbly for another minute, letting his eyes wander over them all. They'd taken shelter here when everything had started, he and Moz included.

But then they had run off looking for Peter, only to get lost in the woods. By the time they'd made it back here, it was too late. They were all sick. So they'd gotten scared. They'd bolted the door, run away, and never looked back.

Until now.

Neal turned away and started walking to the door again, gun held loosely in his hand.

He didn't even realize he was outside until he felt Mozzie's arms wrap around him and his voice whispered that everything would be alright.

Neal cried into his shoulder, unable to get their faces out of his head.

He knew what he'd done had been a mercy, the right thing, but he'd never sleep peacefully again, that was a certainly now.

"They were kids that I once knew..."

**Author's Note:**

> Song that inspired this is Dead Hearts by Stars  
> Give it a listen and enjoy the feels


End file.
